Maldives Pension Administration Office has appointed a foreigner as its chief operating officer, for the first time since establishment in 2009.

The Office announced UK’s John Grindall’s appointment to the post on Thursday, via Twitter.

The Pension Administration Office said that Grindall has over 25 years of experience in the insurance and pension industry.

He is to have held executive positions including Interim Chief Actuary at Malta Financial Services Authority, Senior Actuary at Lloyds Banking Group and Chief Operating Officer at Compre Group Malta.

In addition to his vast experience, the Office said that Grindall is an expert in Defined Contribution/Defined Benefit funding, demographics and longevity and investment risk modelling for pensions provisions.

The Pension Administration Office was established under the Pension Act of Maldives, which was ratified on 13th May 2009.

Grindall’s appointment as chief operating officer comes after the retirement of Mohamed Hussain Manik, who held the post since the Pension Administration Office’s establishment.